College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta

Transcription

1 College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta Policy and Requirements Regarding Entry onto the Roster of Members Authorized to Prescribe and Administer Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Conscious Sedation Legislative Reference Section 13(2) of the Dental Hygienists Profession Regulation (the Regulation ) states: A general member or a courtesy member who has provided evidence satisfactory to the Registrar of having completed and remaining current in the advanced training required by the Council and who has received notification from the Registrar that the authorization is indicated on the general register or the courtesy register is authorized to perform the following restricted activities:... (a) to prescribe or administer nitrous oxide for the purposes of conscious sedation Section 14(1) of the Regulation requires that regulated members restrict themselves in performing restricted activities to those activities that they are competent to perform and to those that are appropriate to the member s area of practice and the procedure being performed. Entry onto the Roster of Authorized Members The College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta (CRDHA) policy for entry onto the Roster of members authorized to prescribe or administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation is based on a combination of: Appropriate education related to the performance of this activity; The length of time that has elapsed since an applicant successfully completed their education related to prescribing and administering nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation; and The length of time that has passed since the applicant last administered nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation on a regular basis. Appropriate education is the acquisition of the competencies (knowledge, skills, attitude and judgment) required to perform this activity at an entry-level standard of competence. Appropriate education provides sufficient theoretical foundation and clinical experience for the practitioner to practice in a competent, legal, ethical and professional manner. Eligibility The Regulation requires advanced training to perform this restricted activity. A regulated member who has successfully completed an educational course or program that meets the criteria set out in the CRDHA Policy Regarding Approval of Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Conscious Sedation Courses (Appendix 1) may apply for entry onto the CRDHA Roster of members authorized to prescribe or administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation. Page 1 of 5

2 Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Conscious Sedation Courses Currently Deemed CRDHA-Council Approved The nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course delivered by the University of Alberta (U of A) Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Continuing Dental Education is deemed Council-approved. This course serves as the benchmark course for authorization to perform the restricted activity of prescribing or administering nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation in Alberta. The CRDHA will assess the qualifications and competencies of graduates of nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation courses other than the U of A Council-approved course, for the purpose of determining substantial equivalence to the qualifications and competencies required for successful completion of the Council-approved course. Application for Entry onto the CRDHA Roster The information required as part of an application for entry onto the CRDHA Roster may vary depending on the length of time that has lapsed since the applicant completed the nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course and whether the course has previously been deemed to be CRDHA Council-approved. Applicants should refer to sections A and B of this Policy and the application form to determine the required documentation. A regulated member must not prescribe or administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation until they have been notified in writing that their application has been approved and their name has been added to the CRDHA s Roster of dental hygienists who are authorized to prescribe or administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation. General Timeline for Review of Applications If an application is complete, the nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course is Council-approved, and the regulated member meets the currency of practice criteria set out in this Policy, notification will generally be mailed within 7 to 10 working days of receipt of the application. Courses that are not currently on the Council-approved list will have to be reviewed. Detailed course information (e.g. course outline, schedule, course syllabus, course manual) must accompany the application. After all required documents are received, applicants should expect a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks for review. CRDHA staff and the volunteer Registration Committee will do the best they can to handle applications in an expedient fashion. If the information provided with the application is incomplete or additional information is required, the process may take longer. Applicants must determine which of the following Policy sections (A or B) applies to their situation and proceed accordingly. Page 2 of 5

3 Section A. If the applicant completed a nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course 0-36 months prior to the date of application for entry onto the CRDHA Roster as a practitioner authorized to prescribe and administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation, the application must proceed as follows: Documentation to be submitted to CRDHA: A completed application for entry onto the CRDHA Roster of practitioners authorized to prescribe and administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation. Evidence (as specified on the application form) of successful completion of appropriate education. Evidence of CPR certification. The level of CPR certification required for initial registration and annual renewal of a Practice Permit is sufficient. The course must have been completed within the last twelve months. Applicants may be asked to provide a photocopy of their CPR wallet card if it is not already on file. Processing of Applications: Each application for entry onto the Roster will be reviewed on an individual basis. The Registrar or Registration Committee may request additional information in order to verify an applicant s education related to prescribing and administering nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation (e.g. detailed course outline, syllabus, workbook, manual, summary of experience). If the Registrar or Registration Committee is satisfied that the applicant s qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent to those required for successful completion of the Councilapproved course, the applicant s name will be entered on the CRDHA Roster and a CRDHA nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation authorization certificate will be issued. If the Registrar or Registration Committee is not satisfied that the applicant s qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent, the applicant s name will not be entered on the CRDHA Roster and the applicant will be required to successfully complete a Council-approved nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course prior to re-applying for entry onto the CRDHA Roster (a refresher course will not be accepted). An application for entry onto the Roster may be refused or deferred if the applicant is the subject of investigation or discipline related to unprofessional conduct in any jurisdiction. Page 3 of 5

4 Section B. If the applicant completed a nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course more than 36 months prior to the date of application for entry onto the CRDHA Roster as a practitioner authorized to prescribe and administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation, the application must proceed as follows: Documentation to be submitted to CRDHA: A completed application for entry onto the CRDHA Roster of practitioners authorized to prescribe and administer nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation. Evidence (as specified on the application form) of successful completion of appropriate education. Evidence of currency in prescribing and administering nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation in the form of a letter from your employer(s) verifying that you perform these procedures on a regular basis. Evidence of CPR certification. The level of CPR certification required for initial registration and annual renewal of a Practice Permit is sufficient. The course must have been completed within the last twelve months. The applicant may be asked to provide a photocopy of their CPR wallet card if it is not already on file. Processing of Applications: Each application for entry onto the Roster will be reviewed on an individual basis. The Registrar or Registration Committee may request additional information in order to verify the applicant s education related to nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation (e.g. detailed course outline, syllabus, workbook, manual, summary of experience). If the Registrar or Registration Committee is satisfied that the applicant has received the appropriate education and there is evidence of currency, the applicant s name will be entered on the CRDHA Roster and a CRDHA nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation authorization certificate will be issued. If the Registrar or Registration Committee is satisfied that the applicant s qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent to those required for successful completion of the Councilapproved course, but more than 36 months have elapsed since the applicant last prescribed and administered nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation on a regular basis, the applicant s name will not be entered on the CRDHA Roster and the applicant will be required to successfully complete a Councilapproved nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course prior to re-applying for entry onto the CRDHA Roster (a refresher course will not be accepted). If the Registrar or Registration Committee is not satisfied that the applicant has received the appropriate education, the applicant s name will not be entered on the CRDHA Roster and the applicant will be required to successfully complete a Council-approved nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course prior to re-applying for entry onto the CRDHA Roster. An application for entry onto the Roster may be refused or deferred if the applicant is the subject of investigation or discipline related to unprofessional conduct in any jurisdiction. Page 4 of 5

5 Policy Regarding Approval of Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Conscious Sedation Courses Appendix 1 An educational course designed to produce competency in prescribing and administering nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation will be considered a CRDHA Council-approved course if it meets the following criteria: 1 The course contains a minimum of : 1.1 Four (4) hours of didactic instruction; and 1.2 Three (3) hours of on-site clinical experience with clients 2 Theoretical course content must include: 2.1 Nitrous oxide and oxygen conscious sedation medical emergencies and other adverse events, (includes prevention, recognition and management) 2.2 Indications and contraindications for use of nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation 2.3 Client evaluation and selection 2.4 Pharmacology of nitrous oxide 2.5 Function of the basic components of the inhalation sedation equipment 2.6 Monitoring of vital signs (before, during and after treatment) 3 Clinical course content must include: 3.1 Client evaluation 3.2 Set up and operation of the inhalation and monitoring equipment 3.3 Nitrous oxide and oxygen conscious sedation techniques on clients (includes the signs of adequate client sedation, signs of client distress, and proper client monitoring) 4 The nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course must be delivered as a component of an 1 accredited dental hygiene undergraduate program or as a continuing education course delivered by: 4.1 An accredited faculty of dentistry, or 4.2 An accredited dental hygiene program 5 The course must be held in a properly equipped dental environment which will permit the course participants to use the techniques being taught on clients. 6 There must be evidence of an appropriate process for evaluation in both the theoretical and clinical components of the course. 7 Course providers must issue evidence of successful completion of the nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation course (e.g. transcript from dental hygiene program, certificate of completion from continuing education course). 1 Accredited means accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada or the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. Page 5 of 5